1 66 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES. 



deemed it best to deal with him in the present 

 ramble. The Black Grouse is fond of a swampy 

 haunt; water seems essential to his residence. 

 He is a polygamous species, and this fact renders 

 him a more than usually interesting bird during 

 the season of courtship. Certain recognised meet- 

 ing-places are selected during the spring days, 

 where the males retire to fight their battles and 

 win their brides by performing a variety of antics 

 which are sure to interest and amuse the observer 

 fortunate enough to watch them. As is usual 

 with birds of this class, the female alone performs 

 the duties of bringing up the brood. She begins 

 to nest early in May. Her rude cradle is little 

 more than a hollow among the fern and brush- 

 wood, into which is scraped a few bits of dry 

 vegetation for a lining. In this she lays from six 

 to ten eggs, buff in ground colour, spotted and 

 speckled with reddish brown and pale brown. 

 She sits closely, depending for safety upon her 

 own brown dress, which is in strict harmony with 

 surrounding tints. The Black Grouse is a 

 skulking bird, only rising when compelled, flying 

 heavily, and rarely for any long distance. It is 

 also very fond of perching in trees, the cock-bird 

 especially, and generally roosts at night in the 

 branches of an evergreen. Seeds, tender buds 

 and shoots, fruits, berries, insects, and larvae form 

 the food of this species. 



wHe'y With a brief notice of the LAPWING ( Vanellus 



cristatus] we will bring this ramble to a close. 

 This remarkably handsome bird is one of the 

 commonest of its order, and may not only be met 

 with on the heaths, the commons, and the moors, 

 but also on the open pastures. It may readily be 



